Put It Down: Why Distracted Driving Is a Road Safety Priority in Polk County, Florida

Every trip on Polk County roads comes with a shared responsibility to ensure you and other drivers arrive safely to your destinations. Distracted driving, especially using your phone while behind the wheel, is one of the most common and most preventable causes of serious crashes in our community. That is why the Polk TPO is supporting the Put It Down campaign, a part of Target Zero, which is a statewide initiative led by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in partnership with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). The campaign encourages drivers to keep their eyes on the road and their phones out of their hands. This campaign connects directly to Polk TPO’s  Vision Zero Polk initiative and goal to reach zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Polk County, Florida.

What Is the Put It Down Campaign?

The Put It Down campaign was created as a part of Target Zero to remind drivers of a simple truth: no text, call, notification or email is worth a crash. FDOT and FLHSMV launched the campaign to educate drivers across Florida about the real dangers of distracted driving and to encourage safer habits behind the wheel.

While April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and brings extra attention to the issue, the message matters every day of the year.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

According to FLHSMV, nearly 300 people died and more than 2,200 people were seriously injured in distracted driving crashes across Florida in 2024. A crash happens somewhere in the state every 44 seconds, and one in seven of those crashes involves a distracted driver.

Here in Polk County, severe injuries have dropped by 21% and fatalities by 36% since 2023, a promising shift but not a reason to let our guard down.

Behind every statistic is a person, a family and a loss that did not have to happen.

What Counts as Distracted Driving?

Most people think of texting when they hear “distracted driving,” and texting is certainly one of the most dangerous forms. But distracted driving is anything that pulls your attention away from the road, whether that is your eyes, your hands or your focus. According to FLHSMV, common distractions include:

• Texting, emailing or scrolling on a phone.
• Talking on the phone, even hands-free, which can still split your focus.
• Adjusting GPS, music or air conditioning.
• Eating or drinking.
• Interacting with passengers or pets.
• Simply zoning out or letting your mind wander.

In Florida, texting while driving is a primary offense under Florida’s Wireless Communications While Driving Law (F.S. 316.305) , meaning an officer can pull you over for that alone. Even so, many distracted driving crashes are logged under other charges like careless driving, which means the true number of distraction-related crashes is likely higher than reported.

How This Connects to Vision Zero Polk

The Put It Down campaign compliments the Polk TPO’s Vision Zero Polk core belief of no traffic death is acceptable and every one is preventable. Our goal is to reach zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Polk County.

The Polk Vision Zero Action Plan, funded in part through the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program, outlines strategies that cover road design, education, enforcement and community involvement. Changing driver behavior is one of the most direct and immediate ways to move that goal forward.

Polk County has grown significantly since 2020, and with more residents and visitors on the road, the stakes are higher.

Simple Steps to Put the Phone Down

Knowing the risks is a good start, but taking action is better. Here are a few easy ways to follow through.

• Silence your phone before you drive. Turn on do not disturb or driving mode on your phone so notifications do not interrupt your focus.
• Keep your phone out of reach. Put it in your bag, the glove box or the back seat. If you cannot see it, you are less likely to reach for it.
• Pull over if you need to respond. No message is urgent enough to risk a crash.
• Let a passenger handle it. A rider can text, adjust the GPS or change the music so the driver stays focused on the road.
• Set a good example. Younger and newer drivers pick up habits from the people around them. Consistent, distraction-free driving is one of the best behaviors you can model.
• Speak up as a passenger. If the driver is distracted, say something. It is not rude. It could save both of your lives.

One Choice at a Time

Safer roads in Polk County, Florida do not happen all at once. It takes one decision at a time, including the decision to put the phone down before pulling out of the driveway. The Put It Down campaign and Vision Zero Action Plan both focus on the message that the people behind the wheel have real power to reduce the number of crashes, injuries and deaths on our roads.

When you drive distraction-free, you are not just protecting yourself. You are protecting your passengers, the people in the cars around you and the pedestrians and cyclists sharing the road. That is something every driver in Polk County can choose to do today.

Learn more about the Put It Down campaign at fdotsafetyresources.com.